MESA COUNTY, Colo. — More than 900 personnel are helping to fight the Pine Gulch Fire which, as of Tuesday morning, has grown to 134,999 acres with 47% containment.
The fire is the second-largest wildfire in Colorado history after it exploded in size Tuesday into Wednesday of last week.
Fire officials said Tuesday that fire behavior intensified in the uncontained horseshoe-shaped area just east of the 267 Road with smoke plumes visible in the area.
The Pine Gulch Fire has established itself in a bowl, moving up Corral Canyon and onto the ridge near Long Point, fire officials said. There were heavy aircraft presence in the area Tuesday, helping to slow fire progression as crews and dozer operators worked to reinforce, connect and construct the pre-identified control lines north of the fire front.
Monday night, crews conducted more successful burning operations near Hwy 139.
Thunderstorms were expected in the fire zone after 2 p.m. Tuesday. There was a 10% chance of rainfall and chances are increasing throughout the week. Fire officials expect fire containment to rise as the weather forecast becomes more favorable next week.
Ranchers in the area are feeling the impact of the Pine Gulch Fire. Many of their cattle graze on private or BLM lands that burned in the fire. They've spent days wrangling their cows and getting them away from the fire and smoke.
“They’ve just been dealing with a tremendous amount of stress," said Michelle Gillilan.
Gillilan knows many of the ranchers well. She and her husband own D&M Meats, a meat processing company in Fruita.
“It’s just a lot of work and it’s hot outside and it’s a lot of long hours," she said.
Last week, Gillilan called a friend and the two developed a plan to help ranchers get through each day.
“I firmly believe, sometimes God gives you an idea and then he gives you people, and that’s what he did because I called her at 9:00 o’clock at night in a cow pasture and I said, 'hey, can we help feed people?'" She said.
Since last Friday night, D&M Meats has been home base for donations of food from all over the Western Slope. Gillilan's company provided much of the meat, and caterers and volunteers stepped up to bring the rest.
“We just had the space and facility to be able to handle it and get it repackaged to the people it needs to go to," she said.
All the donated food is donated to ranchers and their families.
“We just wanted them to know we’re thinking about them and we love them, and we want them to be able to keep doing what they’re doing and offers of help are always here from all of us if they need anything," Gillilan said.
The offer to help their neighbors will likely stand long after the smoke from the Pine Gulch Fire clears.
Areas currently under evacuation orders are:
- Garfield County: 4A Ridge Road (256), Salt Wash (205), King Road (258), Clear Creek Road (211), Carr Creek Road (207), Kimball Creek Road (202).
Pre-evacuation notice:
- Garfield County: Everything west of Douglas Pass (CO Hwy 139) to the Utah state line.
- Any formerly evacuated residents remain in pre-evacuation.
Both Mesa County and Garfield County have Stage 2 Fire Restrictions although a statewide fire ban was announced Tuesday.
PHOTOS: Pine Gulch Fire in western Colorado
The Pine Gulch Fire was sparked by lightning on Friday, July 31 and is located in Mesa and Garfield Counties in western Colorado.
The fire is burning in remote, rough terrain, in pinyon, juniper, oak, and sage brush, according to the Grand Junction Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management.
The largest fire in state history is the Hayman Fire which burned 137,760 acres in 2002.
> Read the latest report on the fire here.
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